Friends, The world looks on in agony as the invasion forces of US-British coalition inflict heavy damage and destruction on Iraq and uncountable sufferings on the innocent people there. The Coalition has engaged in this unjust conflict in the face of strident protests from the vast majority among the community of nations, in particular the Holy See. A huge number of their felow countrymen are oppoed to war as evident from Michael Moore's Oscar acceptance speech today ( 03/23/03). President Bush constantly asserts that the war is waged to bring about democracy and prosperity to Iraq, and bring about an end to the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein.Saddam Hussein, no doubt, is a dictator who has committed many acts of violence. But does the US have any moral mandate to remove him.?
Consider this: The US is the one force, that forms the cornerstone of support to the Musharraf regime, which has all the weapons of mass destruction in its arsenal. The possibility that terrorists may take over the WMD's is very real. The US has tried and keeps on trying to topple the democracy of Venezuela and install a puppet regime of its liking there. The only crime of Hugo Chavez is that he wants a fair share of the revenues oil multinationals extract from his country, to better the lot of the poor. In the past US has destroyed democracies around the world and installed brutal regimes supporting US business interests. Pinochet of Chile, Peron of Argentina, Marcos of Philippines, Duvalier of Haiti, Batista of Cuba......the list goes on. The US committed atrocities of the worst kind and used chemical and biological weapons in Vietnam; even today the people suffer from the aftereffects. US forces massacared undefended women, children and old people, around 300 in number, in the Vietnamese village of My Lai. This was brought to light only because journalists were at hand. Many similar incidents went unreported. Nothing needs be said about the US support to Israel as it violates human rights with impunity in contravention to many a resolution of the UN security council. President Bush often invokes his Christian faith, and publically beseech God to help him with his plans. This Christianity has nothing to do with Christ. The faith of Bush is nothing but the Gospel of Prosperity, expounded by Benny Hinn and his ilk. A gospel which states that the rich are the blessed and the poor are the wretched. To increse your blessings, try to grow richer, and despise the accursed wretched. Nothing can be further from the truth. See what the scripture says: Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him.( Jam 2:5) 1Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.[1] 6You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you .( Jam 5:1-5) ( A very apt passage for Bush and his cohorts). The Church always teaches that the rich ought always be aware that the riches are entrusted to them for the common good of all mankind. They should be thankful to the One who gave them the privilage to act as stewards of His bounty, and distribute what they have in excess of their needs among their poor brothers. The Holy See has condemned the invasion unequivocally. Our Holy Father has exhorted all to pray for those threatened by war. As Christians it is incumbent upon us to oppose this most unjustified and unilateral invasion in the most overt manners. Just prayers, in my opinion is not enough. A courageous public statement of what we believe in and what we stand for is needed when the situation calls for it. Remember St. Maximillian Kolbe and St. Edith Stein, (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)two of the greatest martyr saints of the past century? May they serve as models to us when we say out loudly that we have no part in Mr.Bush's concept of Christianity which is almost akin to Mr.Saddam Hussein's concept of democracy. In Christ, Alphus Pathrose, Kochi, India. Soli Deo gloria et sanctum nomen eius. --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! =============================================================================== This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. For more info on the list visit http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet To unsubscribe from the list send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to the list visit http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet/join In case of any issue related to the mailing list contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ===============================================================================
